%%%%%%%%
%%%% %%%%
%% %%
% %
% %
% THE GLASS FACTORY. %
% %
% %
%% %%
%%%% %%%%
%%%%%%%%
,,,:~\%$£@ SEVERAL CENTURIES AFTER IT HAD LAST @£$%\~:,,,
,,,,:~\%$£ BELONGED TO US, WE WENT ON AN OUTING TO £$%\~:,,,,
,,,,,:~\%$ THE GLASS FACTORY THAT BORE OUR FAMILY $%\~:,,,,,
,,,,,,:~\% NAME. IT HAD CHANGED OWNERS MANY TIMES %\~:,,,,,,
,,,,,,,:~\ SINCE OUR ANCESTORS DEATH, AND THEN \~:,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,:~ STOOD ABANDONED FOR A LONG WHILE. ~:,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,: FINALLY, THE NATURAL END STATION FOR :,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,, THE BUILDINGS THAT SURVIVE: A MUSEUM, ,,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,, AND A GIFT SHOP. ,,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,, ,,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,: THERE'S A LONG TIME SINCE MY FAMILY :,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,:~ MADE ANYTHING. BY MANY, WE WOULD BE ~:,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,:~\ CONSIDERED POOR. \~:,,,,,,,
,,,,,,:~\% %\~:,,,,,,
,,,,,:~\%$ THERE ARE TWO MAIN FACTORY BUILDINGS, $%\~:,,,,,
,,,,:~\%$£ DOMED THINGS OF SEVERAL FLOORS, MADE IN £$%\~:,,,,
,,,:~\%$£@ YELLOW BRICK. LARGE BUT NARROW WINDOWS, @£$%\~:,,,
,,:~\%$£@@ REMINESCENT OF SOME CATHEDRAL. @@£$%\~:,,
,:~\%$£@@# CUSTOM-MADE GLASS, OF COURSE, LARGE AND #@@£$%\~:,
,,:~\%$£@@ LEADED, AND ASHEN. A BIT TOO DARK TO BE @@£$%\~:,,
,,,:~\%$£@ PRACTICAL. ON THE EASTERN BUILDING, @£$%\~:,,,
,,,,:~\%$£ SOME ARE SHATTERED. £$%\~:,,,,
,,,,,:~\%$ $%\~:,,,,,
,,,,,,:~\% THE OTHER ONE IS PUBLICLY OPEN. THERE'S %\~:,,,,,,
,,,,,,,:~\ A MUSEUM, WITH WAX FIGURES OF MY GREAT \~:,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,:~ GREAT GREAT GRANDFATHER, OR SOMETHING. ~:,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,: VARIOUS TOOLS (OR REPLICAS) LAID OUT ON :,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,, TABLES, WITH EXPLAINING TEXTS. A LOT OF ,,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,, GLASS OF VARYING THICKNESS. ,,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,, ,,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,: %% :,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,:~ %% %% ~:,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,:~\ ~~~~~~~ % % ~~~~~~~ \~:,,,,,,,
,,,,,,:~\% %% %% %\~:,,,,,,
,,,,,:~\%$ %% $%\~:,,,,,
,,,,:~\%$£ £$%\~:,,,,
,,,:~\%$£@ I QUICKLY SNEAK OUT, AND CLIMB INTO THE @£$%\~:,,,
,,:~\%$£@@ OTHER BUILDING. THE CONTRAST IS @@£$%\~:,,
,:~\%$£@@# OVERWHELMING. IT MUST HAVE STOOD #@@£$%\~:,
,,:~\%$£@@ DERELICT FOR A LONG TIME, WINDOWS @@£$%\~:,,
,,,:~\%$£@ BROKEN, METALLIC TRASH AND POOLS OF @£$%\~:,,,
,,,,:~\%$£ DARK GLASS ALL OVER THE FLOOR. NO £$%\~:,,,,
,,,,,:~\%$ ELECTRIC LIGHTS, BUT I CAN SEE BY THE $%\~:,,,,,
,,,,,,:~\% LIGHT THAT SHINES IN WHEREVER THE DARK %\~:,,,,,,
,,,,,,,:~\ WINDOWS ARE MISSING A PANE. \~:,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,:~ ~:,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,: HOWEVER, THE GREATEST DIFFERENCE IS THE :,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,, HIGHER FLOORS: THIS BUILDING HAS NONE. ,,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,, IT IS ONE MASSIVE HALL, STRETCHING AWAY ,,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,, INFINITELY ABOVE ME. SOMEWHERE UP THERE ,,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,: IS SOME GREAT IRON LATTICEWORK, FROM :,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,:~ WHERE CHAINS ARE SUSPENDED, AND PARTS ~:,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,:~\ OF MACHINERY HAS BEEN FALLING DOWN. \~:,,,,,,,
,,,,,,:~\% %\~:,,,,,,
,,,,,:~\%$ THERE IS, IN THE MIDDLE OF THE GREAT $%\~:,,,,,
,,,,:~\%$£ HALL, A THIN SPIRAL STAIRCASE THAT £$%\~:,,,,
,,,:~\%$£@ LEADS UP THERE. I SNEAK OVER THERE, AND @£$%\~:,,,
,,:~\%$£@@ TAKE A FEW RELUCTANT STEPS. AFTER JUST @@£$%\~:,,
,:~\%$£@@# A REVOLUTION, I NOTICE THAT FOR EACH #@@£$%\~:,
,,:~\%$£@@ STEP THE BUILDING STARTS TO GLOW, THE @@£$%\~:,,
,,,:~\%$£@ BRICKS TURNING A DARK RED, AND THEN @£$%\~:,,,
,,,,:~\%$£ ORANGE, ALL THE PILED UP DEBREE BEING £$%\~:,,,,
,,,,,:~\%$ LIT FROM BEHIND. $%\~:,,,,,
,,,,,,:~\% %\~:,,,,,,
,,,,,,,:~\ I STOP READY TO RUN DOWN AND OUT, BUT \~:,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,:~ THERE'S SOMEONE ELSE ON THE STAIRCASE ~:,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,: WITH ME NOW, PRESSED CLOSE. HE'S :,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,, LOOKING LIKE ME, SHORT HAIR AND THIN ,,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,, ARMS, BUT WITH EARS FROM SOME ANIMAL, ,,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,, AND MORE DISTURBINGLY, COMPLETELY MADE ,,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,: OF DARK LIQUID GLASS. :,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,:~ ~:,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,:~\ %% \~:,,,,,,,
,,,,,,:~\% %% %% %\~:,,,,,,
,,,,,:~\%$ ~~~~~~~ % % ~~~~~~~ $%\~:,,,,,
,,,,:~\%$£ %% %% £$%\~:,,,,
,,,:~\%$£@ %% @£$%\~:,,,
,,:~\%$£@@ @@£$%\~:,,
,:~\%$£@@# MY FEAR HOLDS ME IN PLACE WHILE HE #@@£$%\~:,
,,:~\%$£@@ STARTS OPERATING LEVERS AND DIALS SET @@£$%\~:,,
,,,:~\%$£@ IN THE CENTER OF THE STAIRCASE. SLOWLY, @£$%\~:,,,
,,,,:~\%$£ IT STARTS SPINNING, CIRCLING UPWARDS. £$%\~:,,,,
,,,,,:~\%$ IT'S AN ELEVATOR! I START TO RUN $%\~:,,,,,
,,,,,,:~\% DOWNWARDS, BUT NOW THE LIQUID BOY %\~:,,,,,,
,,,,,,,:~\ CREATURE GRABS HOLD OF ME. I TRY TO \~:,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,:~ SHAKE HIM OFF, BUT HE'S TOO STRONG, AND ~:,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,: PULLS ME BACK UP BESIDE HIM. :,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,, ,,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,, THIS TIME, I TURN ANGRY INSTEAD. WHAT ,,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,, THE HELL? WHO IS THIS GUY, ACTING LIKE ,,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,: THIS? I REACH OUT MY FREE ARM AND SLAM :,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,:~ A RANDOM LEVER. SOME METAL BAR IS ~:,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,:~\ SUDDENLY RELEASED BETWEEN US, HITTING \~:,,,,,,,
,,,,,,:~\% HIM ON THE ARM, FORCING MY RELEASE. I %\~:,,,,,,
,,,,,:~\%$ SHOVE HIM OFF OF ME, AND HE FALLS INTO $%\~:,,,,,
,,,,:~\%$£ THE LEVERS, MESSING THEM UP. £$%\~:,,,,
,,,:~\%$£@ IMMEDIATELY, A THIN RUSTY CHAINMAIL @£$%\~:,,,
,,:~\%$£@@ CURTAIN IS DROPPED AROUND ME. BUT THE @@£$%\~:,,
,:~\%$£@@# ELEVATOR ALSO SPEEDS UP SIGNIFICANTLY. #@@£$%\~:,
,,:~\%$£@@ @@£$%\~:,,
,,,:~\%$£@ THE WALLS ARE FLARING NOW, YELLOW, @£$%\~:,,,
,,,,:~\%$£ WHITE, ALMOST BLUE. I CLOSE MY EYES AND £$%\~:,,,,
,,,,,:~\%$ CURL INTO A BALL. BUT THEN, THE GLASS $%\~:,,,,,
,,,,,,:~\% BOY SCREAMS, A PIERCING SOUND THAT %\~:,,,,,,
,,,,,,,:~\ FORCES MY EYES BACK OPEN. I WATCH AS HE \~:,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,:~ BECOMES TOO LIQUID, HIS BODY POOLING ~:,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,: DOWN IN HIS NOW MASSIVE TAIL, AND THE :,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,, TIP OF IT SUDDENLY BREAKS OF IN A GLASS ,,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,, DROP THAT FALLS TOWARD THE FACTORY ,,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,, FLOOR. ,,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,: :,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,:~ HE'S CRAWLING ON THE STAIRS, UNABLE TO ~:,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,:~\ KEEP HIS BODY UPRIGHT. CAN'T REACH THE \~:,,,,,,,
,,,,,,:~\% LEVERS, CLAWS AT MY CHAINMAIL CAGE, %\~:,,,,,,
,,,,,:~\%$ WHILE HIS BODY IS TURNING INTO DARK $%\~:,,,,,
,,,,:~\%$£ PEARLS. FINALLY, HE'S LOST TOO MUCH OF £$%\~:,,,,
,,,:~\%$£@ HIMSELF AND THE SCREAM IS CUT SHORT. @£$%\~:,,,
,,:~\%$£@@ THE LAST OF HIM RAINS DOWN. @@£$%\~:,,
,:~\%$£@@# #@@£$%\~:,
,,:~\%$£@@ I STILL CAN'T REACH THE LEVERS FROM @@£$%\~:,,
,,,:~\%$£@ WITHIN MY CAGE. LOOKING UP, I TRY TO @£$%\~:,,,
,,,,:~\%$£ MAKE OUT THE CEILING, BUT IT'S ALL A £$%\~:,,,,
,,,,,:~\%$ WHIRLING SEA OF COLOURS. BELOW ME GLOWS $%\~:,,,,,
,,,,,,:~\% THE HELLFIRE OF THE FACTORY WALLS, BUT %\~:,,,,,,
,,,,,,,:~\ VERY FAINT. I SIT DOWN, CURL BACK UP, \~:,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,:~ BECOME STILL. ~:,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,: :,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,, %% ,,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,, %% %% ,,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,, ~~~~~~~ % % ~~~~~~~ ,,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,: %% %% :,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,:~ %% ~:,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,:~\ \~:,,,,,,,
,,,,,,:~\% A LARGE CLUNK SHAKES MY ENTIRE BODY, %\~:,,,,,,
,,,,,:~\%$ AND SNAPS ME BACK INTO REALITY. I'M $%\~:,,,,,
,,,,:~\%$£ BACK AT THE FACTORY FLOOR, BUT THE £$%\~:,,,,
,,,:~\%$£@ STAIRS ARE STILL MOVING SLIGHTLY, @£$%\~:,,,
,,:~\%$£@@ CLICKING IN PLACE, CARRYING ME THE LAST @@£$%\~:,,
,:~\%$£@@# FEW CENTIMETERS. I CAME FROM BELOW, #@@£$%\~:,
,,:~\%$£@@ SOMEHOW. THE CHAINMAIL IS RETRACTED, @@£$%\~:,,
,,,:~\%$£@ AND I SLOWLY DISMOUNT THE STAIRS. @£$%\~:,,,
,,,,:~\%$£ £$%\~:,,,,
,,,,,:~\%$ SHAKING AND CRYING, I MAKE MY WAY OVER $%\~:,,,,,
,,,,,,:~\% THE FACTORY FLOOR, WADING THROUGH DARK %\~:,,,,,,
,,,,,,,:~\ GLASS MARBLES. A QUICK GLANCE DOWN, AND \~:,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,:~ I SEE THERE'S SOMETHING FAINT INSIDE ~:,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,: THEM. EMBRYOS? ARE THESE EGGS? :,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,, ,,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,, I SHUDDER, AND CLIMB BACK OUT. ,,,,,,,,,,
%%
%% %%
% %
%% %%
%%